Thursday, October 3, 2013

Redundant

I’ve been
made redundant once before. In 2010, a couple of years after the banks all
started imploding and collapsing in on themselves like dying stars, the
resultant economic black hole had expanded from its beginnings in the City of
London and reached such crucial financial outposts as Bristol.

Actual black
holes are reputed to suck in everything around them. Nothing can escape. Even
that speediest of speedy things, light, isn’t speedy enough to escape the
clutches of the black hole. Its fiscal equivalent feeds on jobs. Thousands and
thousands of jobs. By the time my job was “reviewed” and, ultimately, “rationalised”,
the job losses at my company alone came to around 20,000.

I didn’t
fear redundancy in 2010. I embraced it. Redundancy knocked on my door and I
welcomed it in, made it a hot cup of tea and told it I would happily be made
redundant. Because I was young. Because I was (in marital terms) single. Because
nobody depended on the money I was paid. Because of course I would get another
job, how hard could it be?

People who
had worked at the company for decades were concerned. Their CVs had last been
updated when MS DOS was but a twinkle in the pre-pubescent mind of Bill Gates.
Some had probably been written on papyrus.

But I was
convinced I’d be fine.

And I was,
more or less, correct. I was unemployed for about two months.

Now, in
2013, the job I got after I was made redundant the first time is* making me
redundant. Sorry, it’s making my ROLE redundant. A distinction I should imagine
will keep my spirits resolutely afloat when I drag my arse into the Job Centre
for the first time. At least I only have to go once every fortnight…

I'll have a new one of these soon. Mine won't be courtesy of The Telegraph though, like this photo is.

Anyway, yes,
today I was formally entered into the consultation period which it is “more
than likely” will lead to my exit from the company in somewhere between three
and eight weeks’ time.

How do I
feel?

Dunno.

Alright.
Then not alright. Confident. Then scared. Sure of my abilities. Doubtful. It
changes by the hour, by the minute, by the second. Changes when I look at job
websites overflowing with “opportunities” which barely warrant the name.
Changes when I think about the array of fixed costs I can do nothing to reduce,
which zip from my bank account like electronic ghosts. Changes when I hold my
baby boy and wonder whether, soon, he’ll be seeing a lot more of me than he
currently does. Changes when I think about that black hole, which still no-one
has managed to sow up and stop.

I’m trying
to think of it in positive terms: a new beginning, a chance to do something I’ve
always wanted (what have I always wanted to do? Nothing, I don’t think).

But it’s not
always easy to be positive about something so overwhelmingly negative.

Pretty soon
I’ll be jobless, and the best thing about it is going to be keeping my curtains
closed all day and tweeting pictures of them to George Osborne.

22 comments:

It sucks when the role you play in a company is erased like that. Hope it doesn't work out this way for you but if it does, if you can, take some time to find what you'd really like to do perhaps? (Love the line about electronic ghosts by the way and hey on a positive note at least you could throw yourself into Na No Wri Mo :) )

It's a bummer to be sure. But sometimes it can be a good thing, I got the job I do now when my old job was 'merged' (I left rather than reapply for my old job against someone who had done the job longer) and now I earn more and it's not too bad. Fingers crossed for you. I'd set no store by online 'job sites' though, wandering and ringing round are better - get in first before they even advertise...

I'm a firm believer that things always work out in the end. It's a scary thing to go through but be positive, stay strong and the perfect opportunity will come along soon. My husband is in the profession he's in now because they moved his department to California giving him the choice to move or find another job. He did the latter and has never looked back. Signing up with an agency worked for him. Maybe it could for you...

Ugh. Sorry to hear this. OH had this 18 months ago during which time since he worked on setting up his business taking a 50% pay cut in order to do so. It's been a rocky old ride and with a truck load of loans now hanging round our necks we look forward - and I secretly pray it doesn't go tits up! I know not everyone can take their profession and set up alone but the whole experience has challenged our safety zones and made us take a gamble on something different. Really hope it all works out x

Sorry to hear that news. It sucks. I was redundant in March of this year when the whole company went into administration. Horrible stuff. But I am now a full time stay at home dad, which is bloody amazing and I wouldn't go back to that god forsaken office if they paid me (which you would expect they would!).

Chin up - there are apparently always opportunities - you just have to take them.

Sorry to hear your news. It's not easy to be positive at all. It's bloody tough, especially when you have little people to be responsible for. But have faith, all will be well. If the ending aint happy, then it aint the end...or something like that :) xx

It's fair to day this is news of the crappiest kind. Like you, I've been there twice. I'm another one of these really annoying "everything happens for a reason" people, but there being a reason for it doesn't make it any less tough. I hope your job is safe but if it's not, I hope you find something that you find even more fulfilling (with more cash, natch)